- Whether it's Mardi Gras, Carnival overseas, or your own personal carnival party with friends, an essential costume is that of a clown or jester. This is a fun costume that can be worn by both men and women. White makeup is usually worn on the face, with big shoes and brightly colored clothes. If you want to try a jester costume, wear tights, hold a scepter and wear a jester's hat. Clowns clothes should be baggier, and a brightly colored wig should be worn over your hair.
- In any Mardi Gras or Carnival celebration, you'll find people dressed like wild animals. This is also a great costume for either men or women, and can even be made sexy if you find the right costume. If keeping within the circus element of a carnival theme, dress up like a lion, tiger, gorilla, elephant, horse, bear or dog. Avoid farm animals like cows or chickens.
- This costume will work especially well if you're a woman who wants to wear a sexy outfit. Trapeze artists wear short skirts and sparkly, tight outfits. This fuses the circus element of a carnival into the party, but as long as your costume has enough sequins and dazzles, you'll fit right in.
